Memories of a Hero
by Saturn Maiden
Summary: A fic that came into my head while I was listening to the song "Sacrifice" from the episode"the Gift" It's just what I think different characters are thinking and feeling directly after Buffy's death.


MEMORIES OF A HERO  
  
A very short story  
  
by: Saturn Maiden  
  
AN: This just popped into my head while I was listening to the song "Sacrifice" (AKA That beautiful song that was playing when Buffy died, it can be found on the "Once More With Feeling" soundtrack) It's just what I think certain characters are thinking and feeling at that point in the story when they all are around Buffy's body.  
  
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It had happened, as Giles always knew it would. His slayer was dead. Was that really all she was to him? His slayer? No, of course not, he loved her as if she were his own daughter. She was always so full of life, so exuberant and quirky. She kept him on his toes. She was what held him here to Sunnydale, even after he was fired as her watcher, he couldn't bear to leave her to fend for herself. He didn't know weather it was for her good, or his own. He'd killed a man tonight, but at this moment he couldn't feel guilt over the death he caused, only a mixture of sadness and pride at Buffy's actions tonight. She'd given her life, to save theirs, she had filled her destiny. Maybe now she could rest in peace, wherever her soul may be now, Giles prayed to God it was someplace happy. A place where she wouldn't have to worry about saving the world, because she'd already done it so many times.  
  
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He couldn't cry. Even through all the pain that he felt, he couldn't let out the tears. One of his best buddies was gone, and he didn't think that a little CPR would bring her back this time. But still he didn't cry. Xander felt the knot in his throat growing, the one that you get whenever you suppress a sob, but this time he wasn't trying to suppress it, he wanted to cry this time, he wanted to scream out to the heavens that Buffy couldn't die, that she was still needed. Even if another slayer would be called, there would never be another Buffy. Buffy was one of a kind. She was in a class all her own, at once goofy and serious and fun and. and. she was just Buffy. He didn't know how he could go on with out her, he didn't know how any of them could go on without her. That's when he finally felt the warm trail of a tear from his eye.  
  
*****  
  
As she climbed from that horrible tower that Glory's crazies had built, Dawn prayed that what she'd seen hadn't really happened, that her sister would be down there, perfectly fine, with a some kind of little witty remark that was completely Buffy. No one else would ever think to make those puns, puns where Buffy's thing. Dawn had already lost a mother, she prayed that she didn't lose a sister too. Buffy shouldn't have done that, it should have been her who jumped from that tower, it was she who started the rip, her blood. Buffy shouldn't have closed it with her own. She'll always remember what Buffy said to her though, right before she jumped, "The hardest thing in this world is to live in it." I'll live, Dawn thought, I'll live for me, and for Buffy.  
  
*****  
  
Willow hung on to Tara as if her own sanity depended on her girlfriend's newly restored mind. She turned away from the sight of her best friend's broken, lifeless body. Buffy wasn't supposed to die, not yet. She'd had so much promise, so much life. She looked around at everyone's faces, seeing the conflict in their eyes, they weren't ready to let her go either, they weren't ready to see her like this, limp and lifeless on a pile of debris, her eyes holding none of the normal sparkle. Willow couldn't except it, she couldn't let her die. She just couldn't.  
  
*****  
  
Buffy looked at each of her friends, knowing they couldn't see her, or at least not the her that was her. The saw her body, the shell that had held her, but now she wasn't there anymore. She looked to each of her friends in turn, seeing the pain on their faces. She hated to know that she was the cause of this grief, but it had to be done, it was her duty. She would miss them so much, but she knew she'd see them again, and until then she'd look out for each and every one of them, especially Dawn. She might not be able to look out for them the way she had done before, but she knew she'd find a new way. They were her family, and she was going to help them the best she could from wherever she was going. And she knew she was going. She had this feeling in her gut, like something telling her that she didn't have long to stay, long to say goodbye to them, just as they were saying goodbye to her. She smiled at them, even though they couldn't see her. "Gee, depressed much, you guys?" she said, and Willow turned her head towards Buffy, as if she could sense her there, but then shook her head and looked away. Then a kind of doorway of white light opened in front of Buffy. "Don't tell me I didn't close the portals!" she yelled, but then she saw a figure walking towards her, a woman, her features hidden by the light. But as she got closer, Buffy could finally make out her mother's face. She was smiling, but it was almost a sad smile "I hoped would wouldn't show up so soon" she said to Buffy, extending her hand out to the girl, who took it. "Well I guess you'll have to deal" Buffy said and went with her mother through the door to what could only be heaven.  
  
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AN: Did ya like it? 


End file.
